Looking for a new bike without paying the full price upfront?
At Black Bike, UK customers have two different ways to make getting a new bicycle easier:
Two Ways to Get Your Next Black Bike
Option 1: Buy your bike in 3 interest-free instalments.
Option 2: Choose Black Bike Complete at £29.99 per month, with a new bike and annual servicing included.
Both options make getting a new bicycle easier. However, they are built for different types of riders.
If you are searching for pay monthly bikes in the UK, wondering whether to buy a bike in instalments, or considering a bike subscription, this guide will help you decide.
What the Payments Actually Look Like
The two options have very different shapes. One finishes in a few weeks. Meanwhile, the other spreads everything, servicing included, across three years.
Buying a Bike in 3 Interest-Free Instalments
This is the simpler of the two. In short, we divide the price of your bike into three agreed payments.
First, you pick the bike you want. Then you contact us with your choice, and we confirm availability. After that, we send you the payment breakdown in writing. Once you are happy, you make the first payment and we prepare the bike for delivery.
Because no third-party lender takes part, the arrangement stays straightforward. There is 0% interest. In addition, there is no arrangement fee and no administration fee. As a result, the total you pay is exactly the agreed purchase price.
For example, a £300 bike becomes three payments of £100. We add nothing on top. Furthermore, we agree the payment dates with you before you commit, so you always know what leaves your account and when.
One thing to keep in mind: the three-payment option is available across a selection of our bicycles, subject to availability and acceptance. Therefore, it is worth asking about your chosen model early.
Black Bike Complete Explained
Black Bike Complete works differently. Instead of buying the bicycle, you take out a membership at £29.99 per month over 36 months.
Your bike arrives at the start, so you can ride straight away. Moreover, the membership includes one professional maintenance service every year. We collect the bicycle, service it and return it to you.
That annual service covers a safety inspection, brake and gear adjustment, chain lubrication, bolt checks and tyre pressure. If your bike needs replacement parts such as tyres, brake pads or chains, we tell you the cost before any chargeable work goes ahead. In other words, there are no surprises.
Members also get access to offers on parts, accessories and additional work. At the end of your initial membership, we will talk through the options available to you.
What Is Included With Each Option
Both routes include a brand-new bicycle and free UK delivery. After that, the two diverge.
Above all, the deciding factor is servicing. Instalments get you the bike quickly and cheaply, although you then arrange maintenance yourself. By comparison, Complete keeps a mechanic in the picture every single year.
Which Option Suits You?
In practice, most people know within a minute. If you can cover the price over a few weeks and you enjoy looking after your own bike, instalments win on total cost. On the other hand, if a lump sum is out of reach this month, one predictable bill is easier to plan around.
New riders often prefer Complete for a different reason. Since we handle the annual service for you, there is nothing to remember and nothing to book. Consequently, the bike stays safe without any effort on your part.
What About Cycle to Work Schemes?
Plenty of UK riders ask about this. Cycle to Work is a separate salary-sacrifice arrangement run through your employer, and the government publishes implementation guidance for employers explaining how it works.
It suits employed riders whose workplace already runs a scheme. However, it is not open to everyone. Self-employed riders, students and anyone whose employer has not joined one usually miss out. That is precisely the gap our two options fill.
Common Questions About Pay Monthly Bikes
Is there a credit check?
Both options are subject to acceptance. Nevertheless, you agree the three-payment arrangement directly with us rather than a finance company, so the process stays short.
Can I pay the instalments off early?
Yes. Since there is no interest, paying early simply closes the balance sooner. Just let us know.
Which one costs less overall?
Instalments, in almost every case. Because you pay the purchase price and nothing more, the total is lower. Complete costs more across three years, although that figure buys you three annual services, collection, return and member pricing.
What happens if the bike needs repairs?
Every Black Bike comes with a two-year warranty and a 30-day money-back guarantee, whichever option you choose. Beyond that, Complete members already have their annual service, whereas instalment buyers book work as they need it.
Ready to Choose?
Have a look at both in detail. Our guide to buying a bike in 3 interest-free instalments walks through the payment steps, while the Black Bike Complete membership page lists everything the £29.99 covers.
Not sure which bike yet? Then start with our UK bike size guide and find the frame that fits your height first. After that, the payment choice is the easy part.